Floor latch strip for railway cars

ABSTRACT

A floor latch strip for railway cars is provided with at least one continuous, open-topped, longitudinal channel which facilitates cleaning of the entire latch strip. The latch strip provides a series of spaced, transverse recesses that serve the latch keeping function and which interconnect two sides of the channel to facilitate cleaning.

O United States Patent 1191 1111 3,802,355 .Hassellof R 1 Apr. 9, 1974 [54] FLOOR LATCH STRIP FOR RAILWAY 3,422,773 1/1969 Lundvall et a1 105/376 CARS 3,478,700 11/1969 Lundvall et al 105/376 3,490,388 1/1970 Lundvall et al 105/376 [75] Inventor: Donald Elmer Hassellof, Munster,

1 d. n Primary Examiner-Drayton E. Hoffman Asslgneei General Amel'lcafl Transportation Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Prangley, Dithmar, Vogel,

Corporation, Ch1cago, lll. s d & Stotland ['22] Filed: Feb. 28, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 336,419 [57] ABSTRACT A floor latch strip for railway cars is provided with at E 2 least one continuous, open-topped, longitudinal chan- [58] 1d 5 422 369 nel which facilitates cleaning of the entire latch strip. le 0 can 24 The latch strip provides a series of spaced, transverse recesses that serve the latch keeping function and which interconnect two sides of the channel to facili- [56] References Cited tate cleaning UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,390,873 12/1945 Ditchfield .L 105/376 5 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures 4 a 'H 5 fi 85 88 4 4 1 4 *5/ I j 5 100 100 4 4 j 55 1 j PATENTED APR 9 I974 SHEET 2 OF 2 l I FLOOR LATCH STRIP FOR RAILWAY CARS This invention relates to a floor latch strip and more particularly to a floor latch strip wherein locking slots are provided which facilitate cleaning of the strip.

It is an important object of the present invention to provide a floor latch strip for use in a freight-carrying vehicle equipped with a lading separator carrying downwardly projecting latch elements, the floor latch strip comprising an elongated body having a double Z shaped transverse cross section, the body being positioned longitudinally of the vehicle to form upper and lower longitudinally extending channels, a keeper fixedly secured to the body and extending substantially the entire length thereof, the bottom of the keeper being secured to the lower channel and sealing the lower channel from the upper channel, the keeper having a plurality of locking slots therein for cooperating with the latch elements to latch the lading separators in place, the bottom of the slots lying in the same plane as the horizontally extending surfaces of the upper channel, whereby the upper channel is readily clean able due to the alignment of the slots with the upper channel and the lower channel is prevented from being filled with debris due to the sealing thereof by the keeper. I

This and other objects of the present invention together with further objects and advantages thereof will best be understood by reference to the following specifications taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a transverse perspective view of a railway car embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary elevational view partly in section showing latch pins of a lading separa- I tor engaged in the floor latch strip embodying the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the lading separator and floor latch strip shown in FIG. 2 taken along lines 3-3 thereof;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentarytop plan view of the floor latch strip shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. -5 is a sectional view of the floor latch strip shown in FIG. 4 taken along lines 5--5 thereof; and

FIG. 6 is a'perspective view of the floor latch strip of the present invention.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown a railway car 50 having spaced apart and parallel side walls 51 interconnected by a roof 52 and a floor 53. The rail way car 50 is constructed and arranged to ride on the usual truck structure shown in phantom in FIG. 1 and includes a sub-floor 55 which extends above the floor 53 and provides a load supporting surface for the railway car 50. The deck 55 is constructed of a plurality of planks extending transversely of the railway car 50 and has therein two longitudinally spaced apart channels 60. The channels 60 divide the deck 55 into two end sections 61 which lie between the adjacent side wall 51 and the respective ones of the channels 60. Each of the end sections 61 of the deck 55 has a vertically extending inner surface 62 and a horizontally extending top surface 63. A notch 64 is provided at the juncture between the top surface 63 and the inner surface 62 of the end section 61, the notch 64 extending the longitudinal length of the deck 55 and having a horizontal bearing surface 66 and a vertical abutment surface 67. The deck 55 also includes a center section 71 intermediate the two channels 60, the center section 71 having on the sides thereof longitudinally extending inner surfaces 72 interconnected by a top surface 73. Two notches 74 are provided in the center section 71 at the respective junctures of the top surface 73 and the two inner surfaces 72, each of the notches 74 having a horizontally extending bearing surface 76 and a vertically extending abutment surface 77. Each of the two channels 60 includes a bottom surface 80 orbight interconnecting the inner surface 62 of the respective one of the end sections 61 and the adjacent inner surface 72 of the center section 71.

The railway car 50 has two tracks respectively positioned in the upper corners of the railway car formed between the roof 52 and the side walls 51. Each of the tracks 85 is provided with an attachment flange 86 for attachment to the adjacent side wall 51 and an attachment flange 87 for attachment to the roof 52. A plurality of latch openings 88 extend through a horizontally disposed flange of the tracks 85 and are adapted to receive therein latch pins carried by a bulkhead or lading separator 90, all as is well known in the art. Each of the bulkheads or lading separators 90 carries at least two bulkhead latching bars 95, each having one or more teeth 96 extending downwardly therefrom for attachment as hereinafter will be set forth. Further, the bulkhead latching bars are also provided with attachment means (not shown) for cooperation with the latch openings 88 provided in the tracks 85.

The railway car 50 incorporating the present invention has two spaced apart and longitudinally extending latch strips 100. It is understood that there are two latch strips 100 but since they are identical in construction, only one will be described herein.

The latch strips 100 are each positioned in a respective one of the channels 60 and may be mounted on a plurality of spaced blocks 101, each of which is centrally located in the channel 60 on the floor 80. The row of blocks 101 extends the length of the railway car 50 to form a central support for the strips 100. Each of the blocks 101 is fixedly secured to the floor 80 and includes'spaced apart side walls 102 and a top 103. The latch strip 100 is comprised of one strip or bar having a double Z transverse cross section and which extends longitudinally of the railway car 50. Each of the double Z sections 105 have a longitudinally extending bottom flange 106 integrally connected to a vertically extending side flange 107 which is integrally connected to a horizontally extending channel flange 108 which is integrally connected to a vertically extending abutment flange 109 which is integrally connected to a horizontally extending supporting flange 111. As seen, the latch strip 100 is arranged so as to form upper and lower longitudinally extending channels with the lower channel being smaller in transverse dimension than the upper channel and centrally located with respect to the upper channel. The bottom flange 106 rests on the block 101 and is welded thereto as at 104. Similarly, the supporting flanges 111 rest respectively in the notch 64 and the notch 74 and more particularly on the bearing surfaces 66 and 76 thereof. The floor latch strip 100 along with the deck 55 and the longitudinally extending blocks 10] form two spaced apart longitudinally extending passageways 113 intermediate the channel flanges 108 and the floor 80 of the channel 60. The latch strip 100 is constructed so that the abutment flanges 109 thereof fit firmly against the inner surfaces 62 and 72 of the end sections 61 and center section 71, respectively of the deck 55, thereby to prevent debris from lodging therebetween. Similarly, the supporting flanges 111 of the sections 105 are constructed to fit firmly against the bearing surfaces 66 and 76 of the end sections 61 and the center section 71 of the deck 55, respectively.

The latch strip 100 is further provided with a keeper 115 positioned centrally of the strip 100, the keeper 115 extending along substantially the entire length of the railway car 50. The keeper 115 is comprised of three laminated bars including two outside bars 116 and an inner bar 117, which bars are sized to fit within the lower channel formed by the flanges 107 and 106 of the sections 105 and are joined together by welds 104 and 118. It will be noticed that the central bar 117 has a longer vertical extent than the outer bars 116, thereby to provide support for the keeper 115 while at the same time insuring a tight fit between the outside bars 116 and the respective ones of the flanges 107. The keeper 115 is sealingly connected by plug welds 110 to the flange 106 and to the lower channel formed by the flanges 107 and 106 by two continuous welds 119, it being understood that the fit between the outside bars 116 and the adjacent one of the flanges 107 is sufficient to prevent debris from falling into the lower channel.

The keeper 115 is provided with a plurality of latch notches extending transversely of the keeper 115 and in vertical alignment with a respective one of the latch openings 88 in the respective one of the tracks 85. Each of the notches 120 has a transverse extent equal to the transverse extent of the three bars 116 and 117 and includes opposed straight wall sections 121 interconnected by an arcuate wall section 122 forming the bottommost portion of the notch 120.

An important feature of the present invention is that the bottommost portion 122 of the notches 120 lie in the same horizontal plane as the upper surfaces of the channel flanges 108, thereby to provide communication between the two sides of the keeper 115 to facilitate cleaning of the upper channel defined by the two channel flanges 108, and the abutment flanges 109. Since the bottommost portion 122 of the notches 120 lie in the same plane as the upper surfaces of the channel flanges 108, debris and the like present in the railway car 50 and lading can easily be cleaned from the latch strips 100 which is important when the lading is raw food such as natural grains and the like. Prior art devices generally positioned the keeper notches on a different plane that the exposed surfaces of the latch strip, thereby forming pockets which collected debris and were difficult to clean.

Where the keepers 115 do not extend the entire length of the railway car 50, there are provided end surfaces 125 of the keepers 115 which are positioned a distance apart, one from the other, so as to accept one of the latch teeth 96 of the bulkhead latching bars 95. The strips 100 are maintained in position by providing spaced apart apertures 147 therein and apertures 135 in the blocks and a hole 140 in the deck 55, all of which are positioned to accept a male fastener 145 which is held in place by a nut 148. A spacer 146 is provided beneath the nut 148 of the male fastener 145 and the outwardly extending ends 125 of the keepers so as to prevent debris and the like from falling beneath the keepers 115 and through the opening 130.

While there has been described what is at present considered to be the preferred embodiment of the present invention, it will be understood that various modifications and alterations may be made herein without departing from the true spirit and scope of the present invention, and it is intended to cover in the appended claims all such modifications and alterations as fall within the true spirit and scope of the present invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A floor latch strip foruse in a freight-carrying vehicle equipped with a lading separator carrying downwardly projecting latch elements, said floor latch strip comprising, an elongated body having a double Z shaped transverse cross section, said body being positioned longitudinally of the vehicle to form upper and lower longitudinally extending channels, a keeper fixedly secured to said body and extending substantially the entire length thereof, the bottom of said keeper being secured to said lower channel and sealing said lower channel from said upper channel, said keeper having a plurality of locking slots therein for cooperating with the latch elements to latch the lading separators in place, the bottom of said slots lying in the same plane as the horizontally extending surfaces of said upper channel, whereby said upper channel is readily cleanable due to the alignment of said slots with said upper channel and said lower channel is prevented from being filled with debris due to the sealing thereof by said keeper.

2. The floor latch strip set forth in claim 1, wherein the uppermost portion of said Z shaped body is constructed and arranged sealingly to engage the vehicle floor to prevent debris from falling on the vehicle floor below the elongated Z shaped body.

3. The floor latch strip set forth in claim 1, wherein said Z shaped body has two flanges disposed at substantially right angles one to the other, said right angle flanges being constructed and arranged to seal with a portion of the vehicle thereby to prevent debris from falling into the longitudinally extending channel formed by the Z shaped body and the vehicle floor.

4. The floor latch strip set forth in claim 1, wherein said keeper includes a plurality of laminated bars constructed and arranged sealingly to fit within said lower channel formed by said Z shaped body.

5. The floor latch strip set forth in claim 1, wherein said keeper includes three laminated bars extending longitudinally of the vehicle and fitting within the lower channel formed by said double Z shaped body, the center one of said three keeper bars having a longer vertical extent thereby to provide support for said keeper on the lowermost portion of said double Z shaped body. 

1. A floor latch strip for use in a freight-carrying vehicle equipped with a lading separator carrying downwardly projecting latch elements, said floor latch strip comprising, an elongated body having a double Z shaped transverse cross section, said body being positioned longitudinally of the vehicle to form upper and lower longitudinally extending channels, a keeper fixedly secured to said body and extending substantially the entire length thereof, the bottom of said keeper being secured to said lower channel and sealing said lower channel from said upper channel, said keeper having a plurality of locking slots therein for cooperating with the latch elements to latch the lading separators in place, the bottom of said slots lying in the same plane as the horizontally extending surfaces of said upper channel, whereby said upper channel is readily cleanable due to the alignment of said slots with said upper channel and said lower channel is prevented from being filled with debris due to the sealing thereof by said keeper.
 2. The floor latch strip set forth in claim 1, wherein the uppermost portion of said Z shaped body is constructed and arranged sealingly to engage the vehicle floor to prevent debris from falling on the vehicle floor below the elongated Z shaped body.
 3. The floor latch strip set forth in claim 1, wherein said Z shaped body has two flanges disposed at substantially right angles one to the other, said right angle flanges being constructed and arranged to seal with a portion of the vehicle thereby to prevent debris from falling into a longitudinally extending channel formed by the Z shaped body and the vehicle floor.
 4. The floor latch strip set forth in claim 1, wherein said keeper includes a plurality of laminated bars constructed and arranged sealingly to fit within said lower channel formed by said Z shaped body.
 5. The floor latch strip set forth in claim 1, wherein said keeper includes three laminated bars extending longitudinally of the vehicle and fitting within the lower channel formed by said double Z shaped body, the center one of said three keeper bars having a longer vertical extent thereby to provide support for said keeper on the lowermost portion of said double Z shaped body. 